TCRPC News

August 17, 2017

TCRPC Expanding FREE Lunch & Learn Program

TCRPC will expand its FREE Lunch & Learn program to two webinars per month beginning this fall. To kick off our expanded program, we will offer a pair of Law and Ethics Distance Education Sessions in October and November.

They include:

FAIR HOUSING: SERIOUS RESPONSIBILITY, SERIOUS LIABILITY

1.5 CM law credits

12-1:45 p.m., Wednesday 10/4

This session will review significant changes in Federal Fair Housing requirements that occurred in 2015. Topics include the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the Federal Fair Housing Act, HUD’s new rule on Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing, and the implementation of the rule through the Assessment of Fair Housing template. The session will help HUD entitlement communities plan for the new fair housing requirements and better understand what these developments mean for their programs, policies and land use regulations. This webinar is sponsored by APA Housing and Community Development Division.

Have you faced a situation where a board member -- or the entire board -- goes rogue, veering into unethical or even illegal territory? As an AICP member, what is your role and what are your responsibilities when this occurs? We will explore these issues through three video scenarios, discussion among a panel of experts, and audience participation through interactive polling and questions (previously recorded). This webinar is sponsored by Connecticut Chapter APA.

July 26, 2017

PennDOT Planning & Research Funds Available

PennDOT is making Statewide Planning and Research funds available for transportation planning studies in 2017-18. Proposals will be selected for funding based on the following criteria:

Planning studies should be focused on a specific transportation problems such as corridor congestion, land use continuity with existing transportation infrastructure, freight accessibility/compatibility with surrounding land use, limited pedestrian and/or bicycle accommodations, stormwater management problems, or lack of transit access.

Planning studies should include a consideration for leveraging other funding sources to implement findings, such as Transportation Alternatives funding, DCNR funding, other local funding opportunities, etc.

Local participation in funding transportation planning studies will be given priority consideration.

Planning studies should support the prioritization of any problems relative to other problems within the community.

July 21, 2017

DRAFT UPDATE of Regional Growth Management Plan now available

July 13, 2017

Dauphin County Commissioners Adopt NEW 10-YEARComprehensive Plan

Dauphin County Commissioners Jeff Haste, Mike Pries and George P. Hartwick, III yesterday adopted a new comprehensive plan that outlines community, environmental and economic development goals for the county and establishes the steps needed to achieve these goals.

“Called ‘Growing Together,’ the plan is the culmination of an extensive effort over the past year to coordinate with residents, public officials and a variety of organizations to develop a comprehensive, forward-looking plan,” said Haste. “In fact, this plan is the first county plan in the state to have a dedicated website so that residents, elected leaders and planners can easily access it.”

Dauphin County is also the first county to use the state Department of Community and Economic Development’s “Implementable Comprehensive Plan” approach to develop a user-friendly, action-oriented process for accomplishing goals.

“The plan is designed to be interactive and continually updated,” said Pries. “We thank the planning staff and the many organizations who provided input and helped to frame this plan.”

The plan was developed over the past year and included a public presentation to the county commissioners on June 7 and a public hearing on July 12, prior to the vote.

“It took time to develop this inclusive, forward-thinking plan, but we wanted to do it right and have public input,” said Hartwick. “This plan is a tool not only for the county but also for municipalities.”

At a July 12 public hearing of the Dauphin County Commissioners, TCRPC staffers Jerry Duke and Steve Deck, right, offer a presentation on the county's new 10-year comprehensive plan. Commissioners George P. Hartwick III, Jeff Haste and Mike Pries, left, unanimously approved the plan.

June 30, 2017

HATS Regional Freight SumMIT TO RESULT IN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN BY END OF JULY

Held June 29, the HATS Regional Freight Summitgave those with a vested interest in South Central Pennsylvania's freight industry the opportunity to come together and discuss the wide variety of issues they are facing today -- topics such as posted and bonded roadways, increased truck traffic and crashes, aging bridges and much more.

The summit included presentations on the HATS region's multimodal freight profile and critical urban and rural freight corridors; a discussion on strategic choices for regional freight movement; and development of an implementation plan to address the above issues.

The summit included breakout sessions in which attendees discussed strategic choices for regional freight movement.

The summit included breakout sessions in which attendees discussed strategic choices for regional freight movement.

The summit included breakout sessions in which attendees discussed strategic choices for regional freight movement.

The summit included breakout sessions in which attendees discussed strategic choices for regional freight movement.

June 27, 2017

2017 CONGESTION MANAGEMENT PROCESS PLAN UPDATE

The 2017 update for the HATS region's Congestion Management Process plan is now available here.

The CMP is an ongoing process. It determines where congestion exists on the regional roadway network, identifies the causes of congestion and develops transportation strategies to reduce traffic congestion, enhance safety and allow for better mobility across the region.

Federal regulations require all Transportation Management Areas (TMAs) or urban areas with a population greater than 200,000, such as the HATS region, to produce a CMP. These regulations require CMPs to be implemented as a continuous part of the regional metropolitan planning process, which includes integrating with the HATS Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP).

The HATS Regional Freight Summit is an opportunity for those with a vested interest in South Central Pennsylvania's freight industry to come together and discuss the wide variety of issues they are facing today -- topics such as posted and bonded roadways, increased truck traffic and crashes, aging bridges and much more.

The summit will include presentations on the HATS region's multimodal freight profile and critical urban and rural freight corridors; a discussion on strategic choices for regional freight movement; and development of an implementation plan to address the above issues.

NOTE: Registration for this event is closed.

May 25, 2017

TCRPC's 2016 Building Activity Report Now Available for Download

Click to view

TCRPC's 2016 Building Activity Report shows the area continues to experience sustained growth in development.

Among our findings: Cumberland and Perry counties saw an overall increase in dwelling units, with Dauphin County showing a slight decrease over 2015. Combined, the three counties issued permits for 1,780 new residential units in 2016, an increase of 151 units over 2015. Cumberland County’s increase resulted from an increase in semi-detached and multi-family apartment dwellings. Perry County’s came from a rise in permits for single family homes. Dauphin County also saw an increase in single family homes over 2015.

MAY 23, 2017

2-DAY Effective Small MS4 Stormwater Workshop Slated for 6/14-15

A two-day workshop by the Chesapeake Stormwater Network on Effective Small MS4 Stormwater Programs will be held 9 AM-4 PM on Wednesday 6/14 and 9 AM-12 PM on Thursday 6/15 at the Londonderry Township building, 783 S. Geyers Church Rd., Middletown.

The workshop will cover elements of MS4 permits, full cycle stormwater BMP implementation and BMPs for existing development.

It's sponsored by the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, University of Maryland Environmental Finance Center and Capital Region Council of Governments.

May 5, 2017

TCRPC COLLECTS 200+ LBS OF FOOD TO SUPPORT CENTRAL PA Food BANK

Thanks to everyone who made donations to the food drive at our 2017 luncheon on May 4, we collected over 200 pounds of non-perishables for the Central PA Food Bank -- enough for 125 meals for local families in need. We appreciate your generosity! For more pictures and highlights from the event, go here.

May 1, 2017

RGMP OUTREACH MEETINGS SLATED

In May, TCRPC will hold six outreach meetings on the Regional Growth Management Plan, which is currently being updated to reflect future land use impacts. The purpose of the meetings is to explain the RGMP's scenarios and receive public input on its performance measures. The meeting schedule includes:

April 21, 2017

Municipal Officials Breakfast TO FEATURE PANEL

"Municipal & State Police Protection: How Much Does It Cost & Who Pays?"

The Greater Harrisburg Association of REALTORS is inviting municipal officials, managers and staff to a FREE Municipal Officials Breakfast from 7:30 to 9:30 AM on Thur., June 8 at the Radisson Hotel Harrisburg, 1150 Camp Hill Bypass, Camp Hill. The breakfast will feature a panel discussion entitled "Municipal & State Police Protection: How Much Does It Cost & Who Pays?" Panelists include State Rep. Mike Sturla, Democratic Policy Chair; Al Bienstock, Hampden Township Board of Commissioners; Lt. William McAreavy, Director, Policy and Program Services Division, PA State Police; Mike Smith, Director of Government Affairs & Outreach, Office of the Governor; and Bryan Gembusia, South Middleton Township Board of Supervisors. Register by Fri., June 2 by calling (717) 364-3200.

April 18, 2017

SPRING 2017 HATS REGIONAL BICYCLE & PEDESTRIAN COUNTS

We are pleased to announce the Spring 2017 HATS Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Counts will take place on:

Sunday 5/14, 12-2 p.m.

Tuesday 5/16, 4-6 p.m.

Wednesday 5/17, 4-6 p.m.

Thursday 5/18, 4-6 p.m.

Saturday 5/20, 12-2 p.m.

The counts, conducted exclusively by volunteers, provide vital data to our region's planners, decision makers and anyone else interested in making walking and biking safer and more convenient in the HATS Region.

The count locations were determined as a cooperative effort between HATS planning staff, the HATS Bike/Ped Task Force and other local stakeholders.

APRIL 18, 2017

2020 CENSUS: LUCA INFORMATION SESSION SLATED

Click to view flyer

TCRPC will host a free Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) informational session by the U.S. Census Bureau from 1 to 2 p.m. on FRIDAY, APRIL 28 at the Swatara Township Municipal Building, 599 Eisenhower Boulevard, Harrisburg. (see map)

The session is open to government officials, regional planners, municipal clerks, assessors or anyone interested in learning more about the program.

LUCA is the only opportunity for your municipality to review and comment on the Census Bureau's residential address list prior to the 2020 Census. This program helps your municipality ensure that the Census Bureau has a comprehensive, complete and accurate address list for your jurisdiction. Billions of federal dollars are distributed based on the decennial Census numbers and those numbers rely on an accurate address list.

Mark your calendar now to join us for this opportunity. We hope to see you there.

If you have questions, please contact the Census Bureau at 1-866-238-1374, Option 1.

April 17, 2017

REMINDER: OUR NEXT LUNCH & LEARN: WED 5/17

"Using Reverse Fiscal Impact Analysis in Pre-Disaster Planning"

Fiscal impact analysis is commonly used to determine the impact of land development on a municipal, county or school budget. However, with a few tweaks, it can also be used as part of pre- or post-disaster planning and hazard mitigation planning to determine the impact of property buy-outs on these same budgets, and is thus called a “reverse” fiscal impact analysis. This webinar will provide a practitioner’s guide to performing a reverse fiscal impact analysis and case studies from flood-prone communities. Moderator: Peter Wulfhorst; Speaker: Steve Nelson.

This is a free webinar presented by Penn State Extension Service.

Worth 1.25 AICP CM Credits.

TCRPC's FREE Lunch & Learn Events are held 12-1:15 p.m. on the third Wednesday of most months.

APRIL 12, 2017

DRAFT OF DAUPHIN COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW & COMMENT

HARRISBURG, PA – Dauphin County residents are invited to review and comment on a draft of the county's comprehensive plan between now and May 26. The draft plan, entitled "Growing Together," is accessible at www.dauphincountycompplan.org. Read the entire news release here.

MARCH 31, 2017

Click to view

TCRPC 2016 Annual Report now online

MarcH 24, 2017

$100,000 Available to Support Local Planning Projects

TCRPC is pleased to announce another round of funding for its Regional Connections Grant Program. The program was created to support local planning and development efforts in individual municipalities that help implement TCRPC’s regional long range land use and transportation plans.

DAUPHIN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION 2016 ANNUAL REPORT NOW ONLINE

March 20, 2017

Every two years, the State Transportation Commission and PennDOT update the current Twelve Year Transportation Program to lay out projects for the future. It also marks the start of TCRPC's Transportation Improvement Program update. An important step in this process is to hear from the public. To share your priorities and pinpoint transportation needs in your community, go here and take the survey. Also, PennDOT's 2019 Twelve Year Program update fact sheet can be found here.

March 20, 2017

Public Forum announced for "Dauphin County’s Return on Environment"

Susquehanna River, courtesy of Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club

Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Audubon Pennsylvania and Keystone Conservation Trust are inviting everyone to attend the first public forum on "Dauphin County’s Return on Environment: The Economic Value of Protecting, Restoring, and Expanding Nature’s Financial Benefits."

The free presentation is slated for Thur., Apr. 20 at 7 p.m. at the Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art, 176 Water Company Road, Millersburg.

Since last year, numerous organizations, including TCPRC, have participated in a series of meetings to discuss and quantify the value of Dauphin County’s forests, rivers and streams, air shed and open space. The purpose of the study was to determine the value of these resources that impact residents’ quality of life, health, sense of place, cost of living and the local economy.

The annual Return on Environment value for Dauphin County is not tens of thousands of dollars or even a few hundred million dollars. The figure will surprise and astound you!

MARCH 17, 2017

HATS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT NOW ONLINE

March 16, 2017

HATS Seeking Input on Public Participation Plan

The Harrisburg Area Transportation Study is updating its public participation plan and is requesting your input on the draft document. The public comment period opened on March 6, 2017 and will close on April 20, 2017. The draft Public Participation Plan is available for review on the HATS website. The document is also available in hard copy at the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission office, 112 Market Street, 2nd Floor, Harrisburg; Perry County Planning Commission Office, 20 West McClure Street, New Bloomfield; and Cumberland County Planning Commission Office, 310 Allen Road, Suite 101, Carlisle. A display table at Strawberry Square Mall Atrium, 320 Market Street, Harrisburg will be available on Wednesday, April 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the purpose of distributing information and allowing additional comment opportunities on the plan. All comments should be submitted in writing to Casey Baxendale at the TCRPC Harrisburg address, faxed to (717) 234-4058, or emailed to cbaxendale@tcrpc-pa.org no later than 4 p.m. on April 20, 2017.

HATS is committed to compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements of applicable civil rights statutes, executive orders, regulations and policies. The meeting location is accessible to persons with disabilities. With advance notification, accommodations may be provided for those with special needs related to language, sight or hearing. If you have a request for a special need, wish to file a complaint or desire additional information, please contact Tri-County Regional Planning Commission at 717-234-2639 or hats@tcrpc-pa.org.

March 3, 2017

TCRPC'S MARCH 2017 NEWSLETTER

Click cover image for PDF file.

FEBRUARY 21, 2017

Click to view

PCPC 2016 Annual Report

JANUARY 31, 2017

YOU'RE INVITED TO TCRPC's 2017 LUNCHEON

TCRPC’s 2017 annual program is set for Thursday, May 4, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at the Sheraton Harrisburg Hershey Hotel, 4650 Lindle Road, Swatara Township. This year's event will be a luncheon rather than our traditional evening dinner in the hope of better accommodating more local officials' schedules. Our keynote speaker will be PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards, who will talk about the PennDOT Connects program and how it benefits local municipalities. The admission price is $10 per person, plus one canned good item for a food drive benefiting the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.

JANUARY 3, 2017

UPDATED OUR MEDICAL MARIJUANA MODEL ORDINANCE

DECEMBER 27, 2016

YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR HATS MEETINGS

We've created a YouTube channel for the Harrisburg Area Transportation Study (HATS) that will be a repository for meeting videos. Five 2016 meetings of the HATS Coordinating Committee are now available here, as well as on the HATS meeting page and individual meeting dates on the TCRPC calendar. The channel will be updated as more videos become available.

November 8, 2016

COMING SOON: PMPEI COURSE IN ZONING

What: Designed for planning commissioners, zoning officials, elected officials and others interested or involved in zoning. Topics will include the relationship of zoning to comprehensive plans, key terms used in zoning and how they are applied, critical issues in drafting a zoning ordinance, procedures for adopting and amending ordinances, and basic zoning administration. Offered in partnership with the Pennsylvania Municipal Planning Education Institute.

November 7, 2016

Supplemental Planning Funds Available for TRANSPORTATION Planning

From time to time, funds for efforts outside our normal transportation program are made available through PennDOT for planning projects. These are referred to as “supplemental planning funds.” They are usually focused on planning projects which support land use initiatives, available in limited amounts through the transportation planning partners (MPO and RPO) on a statewide basis, and therefore, are very competitive.

PennDOT just announced that supplemental planning funds are available from both FHWA and FTA for planning projects, which must be completed no later than June 30, 2018 and provide a minimum 20 percent local (non-federal) match. Requests for these funds must be processed through HATS, as the projects become part of the HATS Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) and administered through TCRPC.

For FHWA funds, there is a total of $1 million available statewide for supplemental planning studies. For FTA funds, there is a total of $30,000 available for the Harrisburg MPO region (Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry Counties) for transit-related transportation planning.

Potential eligible projects will be gathered by HATS staff, reviewed and prioritized by HATS at its December 2 and December 16 meetings, and submitted to PennDOT for their consideration and award. Decisions will be announced in early 2017.

If you have a project you wish to have considered for supplemental planning funds, please fill out the Supplemental Planning Funds Request Form and email it to Casey Baxendale no later than November 30. Please be prepared to have the required local 20 percent match commitment.

October 6, 2016

CMP Plan Update Meeting

The HATS Congestion Management Process (CMP) Plan Update kick-off meeting is scheduled for 9-11 a.m. on Thur, Oct. 13 at the TCRPC office, 112 Market St., 2nd floor, in downtown Harrisburg. The meeting will include an overview of the CMP process, a review of the draft project outline, and discussions by planning advisory committee members on congestion issues in region. For questions, email Tom Edinger or call (717) 234-2639.

OCTOBER 5, 2016

The Dauphin County Board of Commissioners and Planning Commission invite you to save the date for the 2016 Premier Project Awards ceremony! The event will take place Tuesday, January 10, 2017 from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM at the Civic Club of Harrisburg, 612 N. Front Street. Lunch will be catered by Stock's on 2nd.

This annual awards program acknowledges and encourages planning excellence in Dauphin County, which in turn promotes economic development, natural resource protection and historic preservation throughout the community.

Please mark the date on your calendar and keep an eye out for our official invitation in the near future. For info, email Dauphin County Planning Coordinator Jerry Duke or call 717-234-2639.

AUGUST 26, 2016

Fall 2016 HATS Regional Bicycle & Pedestrian Counts

We are pleased to announce the Fall 2016 HATS Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Counts will take place during the following dates and times:

Sunday, September 18, 12-2 p.m.

Tuesday, September 20, 4-6 p.m.

Wednesday, September 21, 4-6 p.m.

Thursday, September 22, 4-6 p.m.

Saturday, September 24, 12-2 p.m.

The counts, conducted exclusively by volunteers, provide vital data to our region’s planners, decision makers, and anyone else interested in making walking and biking safer and more convenient in the HATS Region. The count locations were determined as a cooperative effort between HATS planning staff, the HATS Bike/Ped Task Force, and other local stakeholders.

AUGUST 10, 2016

Call for Entries for 2016 Dauphin County Premier Project Awards -- NOW CLOSED

The Dauphin County Board of Commissioners & Planning Commission invite you to submit your entries for the 2016 Premier Project Awards! This annual program acknowledges & encourages planning excellence in the county, which in turn promotes economic development, natural resource protection & historic preservation throughout the community.

AUGUST 8, 2016

Reminder: Register Now for PMPEI Course in Community Planning -- NOW CLOSED

TCRPC is offering a Community Planning course in partnership with the Pennsylvania Municipal Planning Education Institute. The course is designed for new and veteran planning commissioners as well as local officials. It will take place Oct. 6, 13 and 20 and will cover the basics of the PA Municipalities Planning Code, zoning, subdivision, land development, comprehensive plans, official maps, planning and implementation agreements, the Sunshine Act and more. Continuing education credits are available for realtors, engineers, surveyors, landscape architects, UCC officials and lawyers who attend. For more info and to register, click here.

June 17, 2016

Dauphin County officials held a drawing on June 8 to select three lucky winners who participated in an online survey to provide input on the county's comprehensive plan. The survey, conducted by the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission, solicited public opinion on a variety of important topics affecting Dauphin County's future, including land use, housing, economic development, transportation, natural resources, community service and culture.

Click for more pics & highlights

May 11, 2016

The Tri-County Regional Planning Commission held its 2016 Annual Dinner and 50th Anniversary Celebration on Thur., May 5 at the Country Club of Harrisburg. Approximately 130 local leaders and planners attended the event, which featured a keynote address by nationally recognized transportation expert Mariia Zimmerman of MZ Strategies in Richmond, VA. Zimmerman spoke about the ways in which local, county and state governments can cooperate to create the interconnected communities of the future.